Citing and referencing
In this section you will learn about taking information you have found in your research and using it in your writing. This section includes information about citing and referencing – what it is, why it is necessary and how to do it.
Referencing quick guide - APA 7th edition
This APA referencing quick guide is for the 7th edition. Please check with your lecturers to see if you are required to use the 6th or the 7th edition APA.
APA style referencing quick guide - 7th edition
Rules and examples for some common reference list items.
Authored book: This is when the entire book is written by the same author or authors
Rule:
Author - Family name and initial. (Year of publication or copyright). Book title in italics, capitalise first word, after colon and proper nouns. (Edition, if 2nd or above). Publisher.
Example:
Mead, H. (2016). Tikanga Maori: Living by Maori values (2nd ed.). Huia Publishers.
These books have one or more editors rather than an author. Indicate this with (Ed.). or (Eds.). after the family name and initial.
Rule:
Editor - Family name, and initial. (Ed). (Year of publication or copyright). Book title in italics (Edition, if 2nd or above). Publisher.
Example:
Alligood, M. (Ed). (2018). Nursing theorists and their work (9th Ed.). Picnic Press.
Referencing an eBook, with author(s) or editor(s), is very similar to referencing a hard copy book. The only difference is that a Doi or URL may be required after the Publisher.
• If the eBook has a Doi, add it after the Publisher name. Use the full Doi address.
Rule:
Author surname and initial. (Year of publication or copyright). Book title in italics. Publisher. eBook URL replaces publisher. Doi number.
Example with Doi:
Gonzalez-Moreno, B & Gonzalez-Moreno, F. (Eds.). (2020). Painting words: Aesthetics and the relationship between image and text. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429242601
• If the eBook has No Doi and you accessed it from an academic research database (e.g. ProQuest eBook Central), you don’t need to include a URL to the book.
Example with no Doi:
Bhavikatti, S. (2010). Basic civil engineering. New Age International Publishers.
• No Doi and not from an academic research database - Include the URL to the eBook after the publisher name.
Tip
If adding a URL or Doi after the publisher, remember that there is no full stop after the address.
It is only necessary to reference book chapters from edited books and this is because they are usually stand-alone essays or studies written by people other than the editor or editors.
Chapter from an edited book
Rule:
Author of chapter Family name and Initial. (Year of publication). Chapter title. In Book editor Family name and initial. (Ed. or Eds.). Book title in italics (Edition of the book if 2nd or higher., pp. chapter pages). Publisher.
Example:
Schwartz, K. (2018). History and practice trends in physical dysfunction intervention. In H. McHugh Pendleton & W. Schultz-Krohn (Eds.). Occupational therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (8th ed., pp. 16-23). Elsevier.
Tips
• Separate the chapter title and the Editor details with In
• Author of chapter: Family name, Initial. vs. Editor: Initial, Family name.
• Use (Ed.). or (Eds.). after editor details
• Chapter from an eBook? You may need to add a Doi or URL after the publisher. Refer to the rules for referencing ebooks.
Chapter from an authored book
It is not necessary to reference specific chapters in an authored book and that is because they are all written by same person/group of people. However, if you want to do this, you can follow the rule below.
Rule:
Author Family name and initial. (Year of publication or copyright). Chapter title. In Book title in italics (edition, if 2nd or above., chapter pages). Publisher.
Example:
Haber, D. (2013). Community health. In Health promotion and aging: Practical applications for health professionals (6th ed., pp. 291 -314). Springer.
Tips
• Separate the chapter title and Book title with In
• Chapter from an eBook? You may need to add a Doi or URL after the publisher. Refer to the rules for referencing ebooks.
Academic/peer reviewed/scholarly journals are often available online and in hardcopy.
Use the following rule to reference journal articles and if they were found online, you may also need to add a Doi or URL at the end.
Rule:
Article authors - Family name, initial. (Year). Article title - same capitalisation as book title. Journal Title in Italics and Capitalised, Volume number (issue number), page numbers for article.
Example:
Zoffmann, V., Harer, I., & Kirkvold, M. (2008). A person-centered communication and reflection model: Sharing decision-making in chronic care. Qualitative Health Research, 18(5), 670-685.
Online journal articles
Use the same rules for referencing as above, plus:
• If the article has a Doi, add it after the pages and full stop.
Example:
Lawson-Te Aho, K., Fariu-Ariki, P., Ombler, J., Aspinall, C., Howden-Chapman, P., & Pierse, N. (2019). A principles framework for taking action on Māori/Indigenous Homelessness in Aotearoa/New Zealand. SSM - Population Health, 8, 100-450. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ssmph.2019.100450
• If the article has no Doi and you accessed it from an academic database (e.g. ProQuest or Ebsco), do not add the web address/URL for the article in the reference.
• If the article has no Doi and you accessed it from a website or Open Access Journal, add the URL after the pages.
Example:
Bell, C. (2014). Cultural Memory Inscribed in the Skin: Symbols of Nation as Tattoo Art in New Zealand. Kultura, 4(6), 43-50. https://doaj.org/article/80bd30de5e9b41db864f0096ec795296
Tip
Include all the article authors in the reference.
The reference for a web page differs depending on whether the author of the web page content is the same or different to the owner of the website.
When the website owner and the author of the web page content are the same.
Rule:
Website owner e.g. Ministry of Health (Date posted on the website). Title of web page content in italics. Webpage URL
Example:
Child and Youth Wellbeing. (2019, August 29). Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy launched. https://childyouthwellbeing.govt.nz/about/news/child-and-youth-wellbeing-
When the website owner and the author of the web page content are different.
Rule:
Author Family name, Initial. (Date posted on the website). Title of web page content in italics. Website Name Capitalised. Webpage URL
Example:
Chisholm, D. (2019, November 25). Are prescription drug ads helping or harming us? Noted. https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-social-issues/prescription-drug-advertising-helping-or-harming-us
Tip
The date published on the website could be (year or year/month or year/month/day). If there is no date, use (n.d.).
Rule:
Lecturer. (Date of lecture or presentation). [Source type; could also be Google slides, PowerPoint slides etc.]. Department and Institution. URL if accessed online.
Example:
Pollner, M. (2019, September 4). [Lecture notes BS89045]. School of Sociology, Riverdale Polytechnic. https://moodle.lu.ac.nz/pmc/articles/PMC6646741/
Rule:
Article author. (Year of publication, and day of publication). Title of article. Title of publication in italics, volume in italics, Page numbers.
Example:
Chisholm, D. (2014, September). The upside to anxiety. North and South, 342, 36-46. http://www.otago.ac.nz/psychology/otago078715.pdf
• Accessed online? The same rules regarding the inclusion of a Doi, URL or no link apply for magazine and newspaper articles sourced online.
Tip
A 'p' is used if the article is only one page long; otherwise include the page range.
Online video
Rule:
Person/group that uploaded the video. (Date video uploaded). Title of video in italics. [Format type] Video streaming site. URL address for video
Example:
Brigade Visual Support. (2015, October 4). Ace - The Gas Station Cowboy [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/brigadevisualsupport/acethegasstationcowboy
Film or documentary (not online)
Rule:
Name of Director (Director). (Year). Name of film/documentary in italics [Film]. Company that released it.
Example:
Macdonald, K. (Director). (2004). Touching the void [Film]. Hopscotch.
Tip
If the film or documentary was watched from a DVD, add DVD next to film [Film; DVD]. If it was an educational film on DVD, use [Film; educational DVD].
Television series
Rule:
Family name and initial of Executive Producer(s). (Executive Producer). (Years the show ran). Name of television programme in italics [TV series]. Company/Publisher(s) that released it.
Example:
Kelleher-Smith, D. (Executive Producer). (2005-prsent). Dancing with the stars [TV series]. Avalon Studios; South Pacific Pictures; MediaWorks New Zealand.
Television episode
Referencing a single episode is similar to referencing a chapter in a book.
Rule:
Family name and initial of Writer(s) & Director of the episode (Writer or Director in brackets following each name). (Date aired). Name of episode (Season #, Episode #) [TV series episode]. In Intital and Family name of Executive Producer(s), Title of series in italics. Company/Channels that released / aired it.
Example:
Mercurio, J. (Writer), & Mackinnon, D. (Director). (2014, February 12). The ambush (Season 2, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In S. Wright, S.Heath, & J. Mercurio (Executive Producers), Line of duty. Kew Media; World Productions; BBC 2.
• No year of publication?
Use (n.d.) in the reference list and in-text citations, e.g. Alger, A. (n.d.) or (Zoffman, n.d.).
• Citing secondary sources:
Use this option when the author of your source of information (e.g. Irvine), refers to ideas published by another author (e.g. Bekhoff) and you want to refer to those ideas in your own work. It is recommended that you try and access the original work but that is not always possible.
Here is an example of how to make an in-text secondary citation:
Bekhoff explains that critical anthropomorphism (Bekhoff, 2000, (the source Irvine referred to) as cited in Irvine 2004 (the source that you read)) is a middle ground between….
Provide a full reference to the secondary source (in this case, Irvine) in the reference list.
• Publication has no author or the author is Anonymous?
In-text reference: use the publication title and year (instead of author, year). In the reference list, start the reference with the title (in italics); the edition, if required; year of publication; and publisher or site retrieved from and url.
• Referencing multiple sources in the body your assignment at the same point:
Enclose all the references within the same set of brackets. List the most relevant first, then semicolon, then list the other references in alphabetical order (by first author surname) and separate each of those with a semicolon.
For example: (Child and Youth Wellbeing, 2019; see also Kirkvold & Ombler, 2014; Krohn & Michaels, 2017).
• The article has 21 or more authors?
In-text reference: First author surname, et.al. In the reference list: enter the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis … followed by the last author.
Referencing quick guide - Harvard
See section below for more information and links about Harvard referencing.
What is referencing and why is it necessary?
Referencing is a standardised way of acknowledging the ideas, opinions or theories of authors that you have included in your own work. There are many different referencing styles. At Otago Polytechnic we most commonly use three different styles: APA, Chicago and Harvard. Please check with your lecturers which style you are required to use.
References need to be included in assignments because they enable people to find the source of your ideas for further reference. They also add weight to your argument by showing you have used – and acknowledged the use of – legitimate sources. If you do not include references, you may be accused of plagiarism.
Your assignment must include both in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your work.
In-text citation
When you refer to another author's work in your work (either by direct quotation or paraphrasing), you must cite your source by providing the last name of the author and the year of publication in the body of your text.
You need to cite references to:
- Support your arguments and give your work a factual basis
- Protect yourself against charges of plagiarism
- Demonstrate to assessors or critics that you have carried out the necessary research
- Allow the reader to locate the material you consulted
Accuracy and completeness are important. Keep track of all your sources throughout your research process.
Cite your source when you:
- Paraphrase
- Summarise
- Quote
- Refer to the ideas or theories of other people’s work in your assignments
Use this diagram to help you decide when you need to cite:
When you use another person’s idea – either directly or indirectly – in an assignment, it must be referenced correctly. There are strict rules on how to use and reference ideas and words from other sources. But, firstly, you must decide whether to use an idea as:
-
a direct quote, or
-
paraphrasing (to rewrite it using your own words).
Quotations
Why and when to quote directly
Direct quotes should be used with care. You should only quote word for word if you believe it is already written in the ideal way to support your argument, if the person you are quoting is an authority on the topic, or if you cannot paraphrase without changing the author’s ideas.
How to cite a quotation
When you are quoting another person word for word, you should distinguish their words from your own writing. You must include the author surname, year of publication and page number containing the quote in parentheses after the quotation (APA or Harvard style) or in a footnote (Chicago style). Enclose the writer's words in double "quotation marks" within your sentence.
You may include the author surname followed by the year of publication in a signal phrase. In this case the page number will still be included in parentheses after the quotation:
According to Thake and Saubach (1993), key causes of economic deprivation include low income or unemploymnet which are often the result of “poor qualification levels and lack of basic skills” (p. 18).
The reference list
A reference list is a list of all sources you have cited in-text (quoted and paraphrased), listed in alphabetical order by the first author’s last name, with a full description of each source. Remember to be consistent to the style of your choice.
At the end of your work, under the heading References, write a full description of each source you have cited, listing them in alphabetical order by the first author's last name.
How you reference each source depends on the type of material you have used. For example, the reference for a webpage requires a different format from that of a journal. There are very specific rules for adding references and these must be followed exactly.
Visit the sections on the different styles to learn how to write a reference list:
APA Style Referencing
APA (American Psychological Association) style (7th Edition) is the referencing style most commonly used at Otago Polytechnic, although the 6th edition may still be used in some programmes. Please check with the lecturers in your programme to see if you are required to use the 6th or the 7th edition APA.
Below is information for the 6th edition. Please refer to the Referencing quick guides section above for the 7th edition.
The reference list should be in alphabetical order based on the first author’s surname. In addition, the list has a hanging indent.
As the formatting varies depending on the number of authors, source format (chapter in a book, edited book with no authors, dissertation, conference proceedings, etc.) and other details, please see the examples in the list below.
APA Reference list guide - 6th edition
Rules and examples for reference list items.
Rule:
Author. (Year of publication). Book title in italics and lower case. Place of publication: Publisher
Example:
Ferguson, G. (2004). You'll be a man if you play rugby: Sport and the construction of gender. Palmerston North, NZ: Dunmore Press
Variations on the book reference:
• Multiple authors: use a comma or & to separate the namesE.g. Dockett, S., & Fleer, M. (2003)... OR ... Brown, R., Cale, G., & Smith, A. (1998)...
• An editor instead of an author: use (Ed.) for one editor and (Eds.) for multiple editorsParry, J. (Ed.). (1991). Building a home: A matter of lifestyle and comfort. Sydney, Australia: Picnic Press.
• The edition of a book (4th ed.) is entered after the titleParry, J. (Ed). (1991). Building a home: A matter of lifestyle and comfort (2nd ed.). Sydney, Australia: Picnic Press
• If there is no author, the first item is the book title and the reference looks like this:Merrian-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (11th ed.). (2004). Springfield, MA: Merrian-Webster.
This reference type is only necessary for edited books where the chapters tend to be written by different people.
Rule:
Author of chapter. (Year of publication). Chapter title. In Book editors: are in a different order (Eds.). Book title in italics (Chapter pages). Place of publication: Publisher.
Example:
McAloon, L. (2003). Scots in the colonial economy. In T. Brooking & J. Coleman (Eds.). The heather and the fern; Scottish migration & New Zealand settlement (pp. 87-102). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago Press.
Tip:
Don't forget the 'In'.
Similar to a book chapter but replace the publishing details with where you access the chapter.
Rule:
Author of chapter. (Year of publication). Chapter title. In Book editors: are in a different order (Eds.). Book title in italics(Chapter pages). Retrieved from URL OR doi number:
Example:
Lisle, D. (2010). Joyless cosmopolitans: The moral economy of ethical tourism. In J. Best & M. Paterson (Eds.), Cultural political economy (pp. 139-157). Retrieved from http://reader.eblib.com.au OR doi: 10.1080/11026480510011334
Rule:
Article authors. (Year of publication). Title of journal article. Journal title in italics, Volume number in italics (issue number in brackets), page numbers.
Example:
Zoffmann, V., Harer, I., & Kirkvold, M. (2008). A person-centered communication and reflection model: Sharing decision-making in chronic care. Qualitative Health Research, 18(5), 670-685.
Similar to a journal but add the doi number, if it has one, or where you retrieved the article from (e.g. the database name) at the end of the reference.
Rule:
Article authors. (Year of publication). Title of journal article.Journal title in italics, Volume number in italics (issue number in brackets), page numbers. doi number: OR Retrieved from:
Example:
Lorentsen, N., & Bergstad, I. (2005). Diet, self-management and metabolic control in Norwegian teenagers with type 1 diabetes. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition, 49(1), 27-37. doi: 10.1080/11026480510011334 OR Retrieved from: ProQuest Central.Rule:
Article author. (Year of publication, and day of publication). Title of article. Title of publication in italics, volume in italics, Page numbers.
Example:
Cork, R. (2003, August 4). The killing fields. New Statesman, 16, p.27.
Tip
A 'p' is used if the article is only one page long; otherwise include the page range.
Rule:
Author of website. (Year of publication, if any). Name of webpage, not in italics. Retrieved from: address
Example:
Kearsley, G. (n.d.). Experiential learning. Retrieved from http://tip.psychology.org/
Tip:
The author of the webpage could also be a corporate name (e.g. Ministry of Justice). If there is no author, begin with the title, then date, then URL. Use n.d. if there is no date.
There is no need to include an access date unless the web page is likely to change over time (e.g. a wiki or a blog).
Rule:
Name of artist. (Artist). (Date of artwork). Name of artwork [Type of artwork]. Place artwork is held: Name of Museum or Art Gallery.
Example:
Van Gogh, V. (Artist). (1888). Entrance to the public gardens in Arles [Painting]. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Rule:
Name of Producer (Producer), & Name of Director (Director). (Year). Name of film/documentary [Type of film]. Place released: Company that released it.
Example:
Smithson, J. (Producer), & Macdonald, K. (Director). (2004). Touching the void [Motion picture]. Australia: Hopscotch.
Rule:
Name of Producer (Producer). (Year). Name of television programme [Type of programme]. Place released: Company that released it.
Example:
Kelleher-Smith, D. (Producer). (2005). Dancing with the stars [Television series]. New Zealand: TVNZ.
Rule:
Video/audio producer (Date video/Audio uploaded). Name of video/audio file [Type of video/audio] Retrieved from URL address
Example:
TEDtalksDirector (2012, June 20). Ivan Oranksy: Are we over-medicalized? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/tedtalksdirector?feature=results_main
Formatting a Referencing List in APA
Instructional video made by the Learning Advisors at OP.
3:49Harvard Style Referencing
Harvard referencing style (also known as author-date style) is a generic description for any referencing style that uses in-text citations with an author and date.
There is no one authoritative source for the Harvard style. As such, many individual styles describe themselves as Harvard, however they typically vary from source to source in small details (such as reference punctuation). We have listed some resources here that give examples of the Harvard style that is most commonly used at Otago Polytechnic.
Note: your course or school may prescribe specific conventions, so please check with your lecturers.
Chicago Style Referencing
The Chicago style of references come in two varieties:
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Notes and bibliography
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Author-date
The notes and bibliography system is used by Otago Polytechnic’s School of Art. In this system, sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes. Each note corresponds to a raised (superscript) number in the text. Sources are also usually listed in a separate bibliography.
Referencing management software and free tools
Zotero and Mendeley
Zotero and Mendeley are free to download. These programs are available to assist you in writing references correctly. You can automatically add citations and create a list of references in your Word documents.
Cite This For Me
Cite This For Me is free online software where you can add (manually or automatically) your sources, choose your citation style and download your formatted reference list. Please use with caution, and still check your references to ensure they are correctly formatted.
Citation Generator
Citation Generator is an alternative free online site that can generate the correct citation in any style. Please use with caution, and still check your references to ensure they are correctly formatted.
Microsoft Word
You can also use Microsoft Word as a referencing tool.
Referencing with Microsoft Word
Watch this video that shows how to use Microsoft Word.
5:33Tips to remember
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Keep track of everything you consult while you research your piece of work.
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Note down all the details before you start taking notes - you will need to reference each source in full.
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Write down the page numbers of any quotes you note.
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If you are unsure about the date or place of publication, check the library catalogue.
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Make sure you follow the required style of referencing carefully and accurately. Use the resources and make an appointment with a learning advisor if you have any questions or you would like some support in developing your referencing or research skills.
APA style referencing activity
Using information contained in the references, choose the correct answer.
Activity
Use the following activity to hone your knowledge of paraphrasing; what is acceptable and what is plagiarism.
References
Attribution
Hero image: Fireworks 4 by Thomas Hawk. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
